THE  WORLD  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES; 


OR, 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  POPULATION  OF  OUR  WORLD, 
SCATTERED  ABROAD  EVERYWHERE,  AS  FUR- 
NISHING A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


A SERMON,' 

BY  THE  REV.  NATHAN  S.  S.  BEMAN,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Troy,  N.  Y. 


Delivered  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  American  and  Foreign 
Christian  Union,  in  the  Thirteenth-street  Presbyterian  Church, 
(the  Rev.  Dr.  Burebard’s,)  in  the  city  of  New-York,  on 
Sabbath  evening,  May  the  8th,  1859. 

»■  ■ ■ . » »»  ■ — 


“ I am  debtor  both  to  the  Greeks  and  to  the  Barbarians ; both  to  the  wise  and 
the  unwise.  So  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I am  ready  to  preach  the  Go6pel  to  you  that 
are  at  Rome  also." — Romani,  1 : 14, 15. 


NEW-YORK : 

PUBLISHED  AT  THE  DEPOSITORY  OF  THE  SOCIETY, 
No.  156  Ghambers-street. 

1859. 


D.  Fan. haw.  Printer,  cor.  Ann  and  Naesau-streets 


SERMON 


“ I am  debtor  both  to  the  Greeks  and  to  the  Barbarians  ; 
both  to  the  wise  and  the  unwise.  So  as  much  as  in  me  is,  lam 
ready  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  you  that  are  at  Rome  also." — 
Romans,  1 : 14, 15. 

It  has  often  been  said,  in  reference  to  Christian  missions; 
“ The  field  is  the  world.”  The  thought  here  embodied,  when 
connected  with  such  an  enterprise,  is  a sublime  one ; and  this 
presentation  of  it  cannot  fail  to  awaken  a thrilling  interest  in  the 
heart  of  any  one  who  believes  that  Jesus  Christ  is  to  have  “ the 
heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  his  possession.”  There  is  something  in  the  term 
world  which  fills  the  mind.  It  is  not  a province,  a kingdom,  an 
empire,  a continent,  but  “ the  great  globe  itself,  yea,  all  which 
it  inherits.”  And  then  this  vast  field,  covering  the  surface  of  the 
magnificent  floating  ball  where  we  now  stand  and  act,  is  to  be 
brought  under  Christian  culture.  And  the  blessed  transform- 
ation “will  make  her  wilderness  like  Eden,  and  her  desert  like 
the  garden  of  the  Lord.” 

Or,  to  change  the  symbol  and  present  the  world  in  another 
aspect,  this  field  of  moral  conflict,  where  lawless  and  bitter 
passions  now  run  wild  and  war  upon  man  and  upon  God,  shall 
be  sweetly  and  fully  subdued  bv  the  powers  of  light  and  love — 
a conquest  achieved  without  blood  or  carnage ; and  that  sub- 
jected world  shall  roll  on  its  successive,  millennial  years,  serving 
God  and  reflecting  his  glory,  till  the  end  shall  come.  In  all 
this  we  have  a picture  of  the  moral  sublime.  We  can  see  it. 
Faith  and  imagination  may  stand  and  gaze  in  mute  devotion  and 
love  upon  it,  and  wait,  in  the  patience  of  hope,  for  its  jubilant 
approach.  The  good  time  is  coming. 

But  in  the  presentation  of  this  missionary  field,  the  world,  our 
conceptions  have  often  been,  if  not  erroneous,  at  least  defective. 
What  has  the  Church  of  Christ  been  looking  at  for  these  last 
fifty  years,  as  her  field  of  missionary  effort  ? I mean,  the 
world  to  be  cultivated  or  subdued  ? It  has  been  graphically 
presented  to  us  in  two  great  continents — the  one  furnishing  the 
home,  and  the  other  the  foreign,  field.  The  Christian  has  often 
wept  as  ho  has  gazed  upon  each  of  these.  Of  the  eleven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  millions  who  people  tliis  vast  field,  the  world, 


CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD.  3 


six  hundred  and  seventy-six  millions  are  pagans,  “ having  no 
hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world.”  And  can  the  blood- 
washed  Church  stand  still,  and  look  on  and  sec  these  millions 
perish  ? It  cannot  be.  Even'  effort  for  their  illumination,  and 
their  rescue  from  endless  death,  must  receive  the  sympathy  and 
support  of  every  friend  of  Christ. 

And  the  home  department,  is  that  less  important  ? Can  the 
Church  of  God  forget  her  altar,  her  country,  her  kindred  ? Look 
at  this  field  as  attached  to  our  own  laud.  Our  sons  and  daugh- 
ters are  floating  on  with  the  tide  of  western  emigration,  and  we 
must  send  the  Gospel  with  them,  or  they  will  break  away  from 
the  old  home  influences,  and  drift  down  the  strong  current  of 
those  evils  which  are  incident  to  emigration  and  a settlement 
in  a new  country — and  be  lost ! 

These  two  departments  have  formed  our  missionary  field ; 
and  we  have  had  our  eye  on  these  exclusively  when  we  have 
said,  “ The  field  is  the  world.”  We  have  seen  nothing  else. 
There  is  an  emphasis,  however,  in  our  oft-repeated  maxim,  “The 
field  is  the  world,”  which  has  not  been  generally  felt.  “ The 
field  is  the  world.”  I mean  to  say,  “ The  field  is  the  wtorlu.” 
Here  lies  the  emphasis — the  world.  Not  a part  of  it,  but  the 
whole  of  it.  And  the  spiritual  world  has  three  continents  instead 
of  the  two  which  the  Church  has  been  exploring.  The  third, 
as  a portion  of  the  missionary  field,  is  but  just  discovered  by 
Christians.  True,  it  has  existed  for  centuries,  but  it  has  only 
now  come  up  before  the  eye  of  faith,  as  our  continent  seemed 
to  emerge  from  the  depths  of  the  ocean  before  the  eyes  of 
Columbus  when  he  made  his  first  western  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic.  I need  not  tell  you  that  I refer  to  Roman  Catholic 
counties  as  a field  of  missionary  effort.  This  field  is  large  and 
populous.  It  stands  next  to  the  heathen  in  point  of  numbers, 
and  no  portion  of  our  lost  world  needs  the  Gospel  more  than  the 
dwellers  in  this  vale  of  death. 

Roman  Catholic  countries,  or  the  Roman  Catholic 

POPULATION  OF  OUR  WORLD,  SCATTERED  ABROAD  EVERY- 
WHERE, AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 

This  is  my  present  subject. 

You  will  keep  in  mind — a missionary  field. 

I.  This  people  need  the  Gospel. 

Such  a necessity  must  lie  at  the  basis  of  every  missionary 
enterprise.  If  a people  have  the  Gospel  in  its  purity  and  power, 
as  many  well-regulated  Christian  communities  have;  or  if 
their  physical  and  religious  condition  would  receive  damage 
rather  than  benefit  from  the  Gospel,  as  infidels  have  often 
affirmed  of  the  heathen ; or  if  it  were  a foregone  conclusion 


4 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


from  the  purpose  of  God  or  the  nature  and  condition  of  man,  that 
the  Gospel  has  no  power  to  effect  any  salutary  changes,  then 
Christian  missions  would  he  a thankless  gratuity,  if  not  a bald 
absurdity,  uncalled  for  and  injurious.  They  would  bring  in  their 
train,  not  favors,  but  inflictions.  Neither  of  these  things  can  be 
affirmed  of  Roman  Catholics,  who  fill  so  large  a space  in  the 
population  of  our  world. 

Romanists  have  not  the  Gospel.  I make  no  apology  for  the 
utterance  of  this  plain  truth.  But  it  must  not  rest  on  mere 
assertion.  It  need  not.  Proofs,  unnumbered  and  accumulative, 
cluster  all  around  us.  All  we  need  is  an  eye  and  an  ear,  and 
an  ordinary  understanding,  and  an  honest  heart,  to  perceive 
that  the  system  administered  in  the  Papal  organization  is  not 
the  Gospel  taught  by  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  and  em- 
bodied in  the  New  Testament  for  man’s  salvation.  The  two 
systems  have  few  kindred  elements.  Open  the  volume  I have 
named,  and  what  do  you  find  there  ? An  intelligent  revelation 
of  the  Infinite  mind  to  the  finite.  The  object  is  salvation. 
Man  is  a sinner,  and  must  be  recovered  or  lost.  Our  world 
is  a fallen  world,  and  must  be  won  back  from  its  apostasy,  and 
its  affections  be  re-bound  in  allegiance  to  the  throne  of  God,  or 
swing  off  still  farther  from  this  central  influence  without  any 
hope  of  a future  return. 

I will  not  say  that  the  Gospel  reveals  the  fact  that  man  is  a 
sinner.  That  had  been  known  for  ages.  The  consciousness 
of  every  human  being  had  revealed  it.  The  page  of  universal 
history,  sacred  and  profane,  had  confirmed  that  inward  witness. 
The  moral  government  of  God  had  reiterated  the  sad  talc  in 
lightning  flashes  and  in  thunder  tones.  The  Bible,  all  over  its 
solemn  pages,  had  written,  as  with  a pen  of  flames,  the  story  of 
man’s  apostasy  and  his  impending  doom.  The  Gospel  takes 
these  facts  for  granted,  and  presents  a remedy.  “ God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.” 
The  scheme  was  the  product  of  the  love  of  God.  It  is  executed 
by  his  co-equal  Son.  He  is 'the  only  mediator  between  God 
and  man.  He  has  magnified  the  law,  and  made  it  honorable ; 
and  in  his  blood  is  our  only  hope.  Faith  in  his  atoning  sacri- 
fice can  justify  the  sinner ; and  nothing  else  can  do  it. 

The  Gospel  presents  this  salvation  to  guilty,  dying  man.  It 
is  urged  upon  him  as  an  intelligent  moral  agent.  As  such  he 
sinned,  and  as  such  he  must  be  saved,  if  saved  at  all.  He  must 
embrace  the  offer  of  life  personally — for  himself — or  he  must 
perish.  And  this  he  does  when  he  becomes  a child  of  God  and 
an  heir  of  heaven,  under  the  motives  which  the  Bible  presents 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  renders  effectual.  It  is  a rational  admin- 
istration in  the  hands  of  God.  Truth  and  grace  are  the  grand 
agencies.  There  are  no  mummeries  here — no  legerdemain — 
no  sacerdotal  absolutions— no  daily  sacrifice  of  Christ— no  hosts 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


5 


of  male  and  female  intercessors.  Mind  and  thought  are  in  it 
all.  It  is  worthy  of  God  and  adapted  to  man. 

The  Papal  community,  and  especially  in  countries  where 
they  have  things  in  their  own  way,  have  no  such  Gospel  as  this. 
Shreds  and  patches  of  it  they  may  have,  but  this  is  all.  In 
Protestant  countries,  where  light  shines  in  direct  radiations 
from  the  Scriptures,  and  is  then  reflected  in  every  direction  by 
a thousand  living  lights — where  thought  grapples  with  thought, 
and  mind  is  confronted  by  mind,  a shrewu  political  policy, 
which  the  Jesuit  instinct — however  diversified  the  other  cha- 
racteristics may  be — never  lacks,  wears  another  face.  It  is  almost 
religious — it  is  semi-evangelical.  Its  true  features  are  masked, 
and  that  in  public,  rather  than  in  private.  The  veil  or  covering 
can  be  thrown  oft',  and  is,  when  the  time  has  come  for  a true 
development.  When  John  saw  one  of  the  apocalyptic  beasts 
“coming  up  out  of  the  earth,”  he  appeared,  even  as  to  his  two 
horns,  “like  a lamb;”  but  when  he  opened  his  mouth,  “he 
spake  as  a dragon.”  The  real  and  the  apparent  of  Romanism 
are  often  very  dissimilar  to  each  other.  Satan  is  sometimes  an 
angel  of  light. 

The  system  administered  in  that  politico-religious  corporation 
may  be  characterized,  in  the  language  of  Paul  to  the  Galatians, 
as  “another  Gospel;  which  is  not  another.”  It  claims  to  be 
the  Gospel,  but  it  has  so  little  affinity  to  the  system  revealed  by 
Christ,  that  it  should  not  be  considered  a Gospel  in  any  sense 
whatever.  It  is  a scheme,  made,  not  to  save  men,  but  to 
govern  them.  And  it  has  accomplished  its  mission.  What  has 
the  Papal  hierarchy,  from  his  Holiness  down  to  the  most  com- 
mon and  uncultivated  priest,  done  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and 
“ turn  men  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God  ?”  Preaching  is  not  their  vocation.  And  if 
their  mummeries  can  save  souls,  then  miracles  will  never 
cease.  If  their  auricular  confessions  — and  penances — and 
ghostly  absolutions — and  the  muttering  of  holy  Latin — and  the 
offering  up  of  a man-created  wafer-god — and  purgatorial  fires 
stolen  from  the  altar  of  heathen  poets — and  the  intercession  of 
a multitude  of  saints,  male  and  female,  which  no  man  can 
number — and  fasts  and  feasts,  and  other  holidays,  which  have 
usurped  nearly  half  the  time  which  God  has  appointed  for 
honest  labor — and  the  late  investiture  of  Mary  with  powers  all 
but  supreme  in  matters  of  salvation — and  the  use  of  charms — 
and  religious  homage  paid  to  images,  and  old  bones,  and  holy 
garments,  and  other  relics — and  extreme  unction — and  prayers 
for  the  dead — and  the  purchase  and  release  of  souls  out  of 
purgatory — are  God’s  appointed  symbols  for  setting  forth  his 
truth  and  the  way  of  salvation,  then  the  New  Testament  is  a 
needless  gratuity — a thankless  obtrusion  upon  our  world.  It 
stands  directly  in  the  way  of  redemption.  It  obstructs  man’s 
return  to  God. 


6 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


Tliat  this  system  is  not  the  Gospel,  may  he  seen  from  its  fruits. 
But  in  order  to  bring  the  matter  to  a fair  and  honest  test,  we 
must  take  Romanism  on  its  own  ground ; we  must  look  at  it 
where  it  has  held  an  undisputed  scepter,  and  pursued  an  unob- 
structed career.  This  can  easily  be  done.  Either  hemisphere 
can  furnish  the  needed  illustrations. 

Unroll,  then,  the  map  of  Europe  beneath  your  eye,  and  visit, 
in  rapid  thought,  her  various  nations.  You  no  sooner  cross  the 
line  which  separates  a Protestant  from  a Papal  country,  and 
pass  from  the  former  into  the  latter,  than  you  find  yourself  at 
least  half-way  on  your  journey  towards  Paganism.  You  are  in 
a land  of  idols.  Not  only  the  churches,  but  the  cities  and 
the  rural  districts  are  filled  with  these  abominations.  Mary  is  the 
grand  object  of  homage.  Her  images,  large  as  life,  are  seen  at 
the  corners  of  the  streets  and  in  inclosures  by  the  wayside. 
And  it  may  be  affirmed  without  figure  and  without  coloring, 
than  she  is  the  great  goddess  of  Romanism.  “ Diana  of  the 
Ephesians  ” was  not  held  in  higher  veneration  among  her  ancient 
devotees  than  she  among  the  Papists.  She  is  more  frequently 
the  object  of  prayer  and  praise  than  God  himself.  Indeed,  in 
the  conceptions  of  the  ordinary  Papal  mind,  neither  the  Father, 
nor  the  Son,  nor  the  Holy  Spirit,  seems  to  have  much  to  do 
with  the  salvation  of  man,  only  so  far  as  each  of  the  Persons  of 
the  Godhead  may  be  inclined  or  compelled  to  act  by  the  in- 
tervention of  the  holy  Mother.  She  is  the  great  motive  power. 

But  turning  from  the  religious  rites  of  the  Roman  Catholics, 
as  they  exist  everywhere,  and  which  are  framed  on  any  other 
model  than  that  of  the  Gospel,  let  us  examine  some  other  tests, 
which  to  mast  minds  are  more  palpable  and  not  less  in  point. 
What  are  the  ordinary  products  of  the  Papal  system,  wherever 
it  has  had  a field  for  a fair  and  full  development  ? As  unlike 
the  fruits  of  a pure  Gospel  as  the  tares  in  the  parable  are  unlike 
the  wheat. 

Papal  countries  have  no  Christian  Sabbath.  And  this  is  the 
condition  of  their  people  everywhere.  Certain  religious  rites 
and  ordinances  are  performed  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  but 
soon  dispatched,  and  the  remainder  of  that  time  which  God 
challenges  for  himself  and  the  interests  of  the  soul,  is  given, 
without  restraint,  to  amusements  which  are  always  secular,  and 
often  debasing  and  vicious.  The  infallible  priesthood  mingle 
in  the  revelries.  In  Mexico,  and  in  Central  and  South  America, 
sports  of  every  name,  scenic  representations,  gambling,  bull- 
baiting, cock-fighting,  dancing,  drinking,  and  profligacy,  fill  up 
the  day  and  evening,  after  a quick-said  mass  in  the  morning  ; and 
the  priest  often  lays  aside  all  that  is  holy  about  him — his  con- 
secrated garments — and  issues  forth  from  the  altar  with  the  im- 
plements or  agents  of  gaming  under  his  arm  or  his  mantle, 
and  soon  distinguishes  himself  as  the  ringleader  in  every 
scarlet  abomination.  There  is  no  fancy  in  this  description.  It 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


7 


is  simple  truth,  only  the  half  is  not  told  you.  1 have  indulged 
in  no  exaggeration  ; I have  iippnrted  no  decorations  ; I have 
infused  no  artistic  coloring. 

Look  for  a moment  at  other  fruits  of  this  system.  As  to  in- 
dustry, neatness,  and  material  prosperity,  they  have  never  been 
the  growth  of  the  Romish  faith.  The  education  of  the  masses 
has  ever  been  frowned  upon  and  resisted ; aud  consequently  a 
large  proportion  of  her  subjects  can  neither  read  nor  write.  It 
is  so  in  Ireland  and  in  Italy ; it  is  so  among  the  millions  of 
Roman  Catholics  in  this  country,  with  all  its  facilities  for  light 
and  instruction  ; and  it  is  so  in  your  own  city.  The  fault  is 
not  in  the  genius  or  the  native  taste,  or  the  distinctive  charac- 
teristics of  the  people,  but  in  the  system  itself,  as  enforoed,  for 
purposes  of  their  own,  by  a domineering  priesthood.  It  is  by 
this  blighting  influence  that  the  Papal  world  liave  not  the  Gospel ; 
and  yet  they  deeply  need  it.  If  it  is  desirable  that  millions  on 
millions  of  our  race  should  be  reclaimed  from  indolence,  filthiness, 
and  squalid  beggary ; if  it  is  a work  of  mercy  to  redeem  man 
from  ignorance  and  stolidity,  and  irradiate  “ the  human  face 
divine  ” with  the  bright  beamings  of  intelligence  ; if  “ the  light 
of  the  kuowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  ” 
is  indispensable  to  the  saving  of  the  soul,  then  Roman  Catholics 
. need  the  Gospel. 

II.  This  missionary  field  is  a large  one. 

We  have  seen  its  appalling  wants.  A spiritual  blight  has 
fallen  upon  it,  and  sterility  and  death  meet  us  through  all  its 
borders.  And  this  field  is  not  crowded  into  a little  obscure  and  un- 
explored corner  of  our  world,  but  it  spreads  all  around  us,  and 
stretches  out  in  long  perspective  before  us,  and  literally  en- 
compasses the  earth.  We  may  form  some  just  conceptions  of 
its  magnitude,  if  we  look  at  a few  facts  in  relation  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  our  globe.  The  last  statistical  tables  assign  to  the 
heathen  six  hundred  and  seventy-six  millions— considerably  more 
than  one  half  ef  the  human  race  now  living.  This  is  an  immense, 
drearer  cheerless  waste  to  be  reclaimed,  cultured,  beautified.  The 
sight,  as  it  now  meets  us,  is  almost  appalling.  The  Church  of 
Christ  for  ages,  aud  more  especially  for  the  last  half-century,  has 
shed  bitter  tears,  and  uttered  deep  and  affecting  groans,  and 
lifted  up  to  heaven  many  importunate  prayers,  in  view  of  her 
responsibilities  to  this  portion  of  our  sin-stricken  world ! I look 
on  this  field,  dark  as  Egypt,  and  fearful  as  the  shadow  of  death, 
and  say  : “ If  I forget  thee,  let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cun- 
ning. If  I do  not  remember  thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the 
roof  of  my  mouth.1’ 

Protestant  Christendom  numbers  about  ninety  millions.  One 
half  of  these  may  be  considered  so  well  supplied  with  the  Gospel 
aud  the  means  of  grace,  as  to  be  removed  from  the  missionary 
held.  We  have,  then,  about  forty-five  millions,  constituting  the 


8 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


various  home  missionary  fields  of  Protestant  countries.  A por- 
tion of  this  territory,  and  a most  precious  one,  is  ours  to  culti- 
vate. The  enlightened  Christian,  who  loves  his  own  hearthstone 
and  domestic  altar,  his  country  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  is 
embarked,  of  course,  by  a kind  of  spontaneity,  by  a deep  moral 
necessity,  in  the  work  of  home  evangelization. 

But  between  these  two  fields — one  lying  on  the  margin  of  the 
dark  ocean  of  death,  with  its  six  hundred  and  seventy-six  mil- 
lions of  souls  on  their  rapid  march  to  the  final  judgment,  and  the 
other  under  our  own  eye,  and  the  eye  of  other  Protestant  nations, 
and  ever  making  a strong  appeal  to  every  home  affection — there 
is  still  a third  missionary  field,  containing  one  hundred  and 
seventy  millions,  nearly  double  the  number  of  all  nominal  Protest- 
ants in  Christendom,  and  a little  less  than  four  times  as  many 
as  people  the  waste  places  and  the  missionary  outskirts  of  anti- 
papal  lands.  And  all  these  millions  need  the  Gospel  in  the 
same  sense  that  the  pagans  do — and  for  the  same  reasons.  They 
have  no  Gospel  ministry,  with  its  intelligent  and  its  meliorating 
influence.  As  a general  fact,  they  have  no  Bible.  The  masses 
have  never  heard  of  such  a book.  They  have  nowhere  in  opera- 
tion— and  they  never  can  have,  under  their  policy — a system  of 
popular  education  which  may  reach  and  bless  all — one  whose 
purpose  or  aim  shall  be  the  universal  diffusion  of  light  and  intel- 
ligence — one  whose  heart  is  fixed  on  the  future  and  indefinite 
progress  of  the  race  under  the  auspices  of  Christ  and  his  Gospel. 

One  hundred  and  seventy  millions  of  human  beings,  nearly 
six  times  as  many  as  the  whole  population  of  our  country,  is  an 
affecting  spectacle ; and  their  unfitness  to  meet  the  opening 
scenes  of  eternity,  must  be  felt  by  all  Christians  who  have  deeply 
studied  the  subject.  I need  not  enumerate  the  territories  of 
our  globe  where  this  corrupt  form  of  Christianity  has  planted 
its  institutions,  and  established  its  dogmas,  and  oppressed  the  in- 
habitants, and  blighted  the  very  soil  on  which  they  tread.  They 
embrace  some  of  the  fairest,  and,  by  nature,  the  most  fertile  por- 
tions of  Europe  ; and  the  same  maybe  said  of  the  southern  parts 
of  our  own  continent.  The  geographical  boundaries  of  the  Papal 
empire  are  immense — I mean  including  those  states  and  king- 
doms which  are  under  the  special  control  of  this  spiritual  power. 
But  even  this  view  does  not  place  the  field  of  Christian  effort 
which  I am  endeavoring  to  describe,  fully,  in  all  its  length,  and 
breadth,  and  importance,  before  you.  The  Romish  element  is 
ubiquitous.  It  pervades  all  lands.  Both  Protestant  and  hea- 
then countries  feel  its  presence  and  its  power.  In  this  sense  the 
Roman  Catholic  field  spreads  over  most  of  the  world,  for  her 
people  are  found  in  every  part  of  it ; and  they  all  need  pure  Gospel 
institutions.  Here,  then,  is  a territory  large  enough,  and  populous 
enough,  and  needy  enough,  to  fill  the  eye,  and  move  the  heart, 
and  fire  the  zeal  of  any  Christian  hero.  “ The  harvest  truly  is 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


9 


great  ” — if  it  is  indeed  ever  to  be  reaped — “ and  the  laborers  are 
few.” 


III.  This  field  is  open  and  accessible. 

To  settle  this  point  is  quite  material  in  this  discussion.  Wo 
have  made  but  little  progress,  and  established  nothing  effectually 
as  to  our  obligations,  till  this  fact  is  clearly  evinced.  Any  por- 
tion of  our  world  may  be  spiritually  destitute ; may  grope  in  dark- 
ness deep  as  midnight ; may  be  the  sure  prey  of  every  evil  that 
can  bullet  poor  fallen  humanity;  and  yet,  if  the  people  are 
environed  and  hedged  around  by  impassible  barriers,  Christian 
benevolence  is  not  called  to  the  rescue,  for  no  work  is  pre- 
pared and  nothing  can  be  done.  A generous  heart  may  sit 
and  weep,  but  the  tongue  is  tied,  the  hands  are  chained.  And 
the  greater  the  numbers  who  are  in  this  condition,  the  darker  and 
sadder  the  picture  which  meets  our  vision. 

If  the  Homan  Catholic  population  cannot  be  reached  by  the 
written  word  and  a pure  Gospel,  then  their  deep  spiritual  ne- 
cessities. and  their  teeming  millions,  might  be  multiplied  a hun- 
dred fold,  and  still  no  obligation  would  rest  on  the  church  of  God 
to  adopt  measures  for  their  relief.  If  their  doom  is  sealed,  it  mat- 
ters not  whether  by  their  own  voluntary  act  or  the  purpose  of 
God — and  this  fact  is  fully  established — then  effort  is  out  of  the 
question.  Many  Protestants  seem  to  have  adopted  this  theory  ; 
and  many,  too,  who  are  aware  both  of  their  destitution  and  their 
numbers.  It  is  often  said,  and  not  by  the  ignorant  and  the 
thoughtless  : “ The  true  policy  is,  to  let  the  Romanists  alone,  for 
you  can  do  nothing  for  them.”  If  this  be  an  established  fact,  it 
should  be  known,  that  Christian  benevolence  may  be  wisely 
directed,  and  tnat  the  evangelical  energies  of  Christendom  may 
not  be  expended  on  a romantic  and  utopian  scheme,  which 
must  prove  a failure.  But  if  the  above  remark  is  a gratuitous 
assertion,  without  one  principle  of  divine  revelation  or  one  well- 
authenticated  fact  for  its  support,  then  we  should  know  it,  for 
practical  uses.  Clear  light  is  necessary  to  intelligent  action. 

It  is  readily  granted  that  there  has  been  too  much  reason  for  the 
conclusion  I have  noticed  above.  Many  and  formidable  banders 
have  obstructed  Christian  action  for  the  conversion  of  Romanists. 
But  to  give  up  such  a work  as  hopeless,  and  certainly  without 
many  and  well-directed  attempts  for  its  accomplishment,  would 
involve  consequences  of  a far  more  serious  nature,  and  in  more 
direct  conflict  with  the  great  designs  of  God,  than  many  suppose. 
There  is  a sort  of  infidelity  in  it. 

If  our  world  is  to  be  a converted  world,  it  would  seem  to  be 
improbable,  upon  the  very  face  of  it,  that  the  entire  Romish 
population — more  than  one-seventh  part  of  the  whole  human 
race — should  be  entirely  passed  by  in  this  purposed  transform- 
ation. And  the  improbability  of  such  an  issue  is  increased,  when 
we  consider  their  material  resources,  their  advances  in  civiliz- 


10 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES. 


atiou  and  the  arts  of  life,  and  the  amazing  moral  power  they  might 
and  would  exert  upon  tlft  final  triumphs  of  Christ  on  earth,  and 
the  ultimate  destinies  of  men,  if  they  were  to  desert  the  stand- 
ard of  the  great  usurper,  and  wheel  into  the  ranks  of  the  Soil 
of  God,  and  march  under  his  banner  to  victory. 

Besides,  we  are  to  remember  that  all  false  religions  are 
strongly  fortified  against  the  aggressions  of  truth.  There  is  a 
subtilty  in  error,  and  especially  when  it  falls  in  with  the  strong 
aurrent  of  human  nature,  which  often  baffles  all  ordinary 
assaults.  There  are  bad  spirits  that  go  not  out  “ but  by 
prayer  and  fasting.”  Many  systems  of  paganism  have  an  inge- 
nuity, a philosophy,  an  originality  of  invention,  a depth  of  con- 
trivance, a subtilty  in  their  ulterior  designs,  which  require  all 
the  well-trained  powers  of  the  Christian  missionary  to  meet  and 
assail  with  success.  And  so  we  might  expect  to  find  it  in  that 
scheme  of  religion  which  a profound  thinker  has  pronounced 
“Satan’s  masterpiece.”  To  erect  a system  of  idolatry  on  the 
Bible,  which  shall  fill  thte  very  same  niche  in  the  heart  of  de- 
praved humanity  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  old  pagan 
gods,  male  and  female,  thus  making  conversion  easy,  and  in 
many  cases  requiring  little  else  than  the  exchange  of  one  set 
of  images  for  another,  and  in  some  instances  the  whole  change 
consisting  in  the  name  and  not  the  identity  of  the  idol,  has  a 
sublimity  of  wickedness  in  it  which  is  truly  overwhelming  to  the 
mind  ; and  we  may  be  assured  that  the  genius  which  conceived 
the  thought,  and  the  vigilance  which  nursed  it,  and  the  versa- 
tility of  powers — almost  superhuman — which  reared  it  up  to 
manhood,  and  led  it  forward  to  perfection,  would  guard  it  with 
sleepless  care  “ as  the  apple  of  the  eye.”  And  this  is  the  his- 
toric record  of  the  Roman  heresy. 

But,  speculation  out  of  the  question.  We  have  facts  before 
us  to  show  that  the  Papal  world  is  open  to  evangelical  laborers. 
Not,  perhaps,  now  in  the  same  emphatic  sense  in  which  the  same 
thing  may  be  affirmed  of  most  portions  of  the  heathen  world. 
And  the  reason  may  probably  be  found  in  facts  which  belong 
not  to  them  but  to  us.  How  has  it  come  to  pass  that  the  door 
of  access  to  the  heathen  is  wide  open  the  world  over  ? A few 
years  ago,  since  I have  mingled  with  men  on  the  active  stage, 
no  such  thing  was  known.  There  was  hardly  a foot  of  pagan 
soil  where  the  devoted  missionary  might  plant  the  cross,  and 
tell  the  tale  of  its  agonies  and  its  triumphs.  These  doors  began 
to  move  on  their  old  corroded  hinges,  just  as  soon  as  “ the  sa- 
cramentalliost  of  God’s  elect  ” began  their  aggressive  march  upon 
an  unconverted  world.  God’s  finger  touched  the  secret  spring, 
and  they  opened  to  be  closed  no  more.  And  the  inquiry  now 
is,  not  for  harvest  fields,  but  for  reapers.  It  was  not  when  Paul 
was  at  Jerusalem  or  Damascus,  but  nt  Tuoas,  on  the  borders 
of  a narrow  sheet  of  water,  opposite  to  Philippi,  that  “ a man 
of  Macedonia  stood  before  him  in  a vision  of  the  night,”  and 


AS  FfiRNISniNO  A MISSIONARY  F1EI.D. 


11 


prayed  him,  saying  : “ Come  over  into  Macedonia  and  help  us.” 
He  was  out  on  his  mission  of  life,  and  the  door  opened  when 
he  was  near  at  hand  to  enter  it.  This  is  God’s  method  with  his 
servants.  Of  what  avail  or  significance  are  open  doors,  if  there 
are  no  agents  to  enter  in  and  occupy  ? 

I might  speak,  not  only  of  doors  opened,  but  of  fields  occupied, 
and  of  sheaves,  if  not  of  harvests,  gathered  in.  But  this  is  no 
part  of  my  object.  France,  in  the  midst  of  persecutions  from 
the  priesthood  and  Government  officials,  is  gradually  admitting 
the  true  light.  The  Spanish  race  on  this  continent,  under  the 
Papal  system,  have  nearly  accomplished  their  mission  ; and 
their  moral,  religious,  and  industrial  state  is  hopeless  beyond 
resuscitation.  The  imbecilities  of  old  age  are  upon  their  descend- 
ants here,  and  they  can  never  be  rejuvenated.  Mexico,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Isthmus,  New-Grenada,  and  the  States  both 
on  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  coasts,  will,  in  a future  day  not  far 
distant,  deliver  over  their  foreign  commerce,  their  home  business, 
and  their  rich  internal  resources,  yet  undeveloped,  into  the  hands 
of  others  more  industrious  and  enterprising.  These  will  be  Pro- 
testants, and  probably  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  Anglo- 
American  races.  In  some  of  these  vast  realms,  and  especially  in 
New-Granada,  “ The  fields  are  already  white  unto  the  harvest.” 
Here  the  profligacy  of  the  priesthood  could  be  tolerated  no 
longer,  and  the  revolution  placed  them  on  a common  footing  with 
other  men.  All  religions  rest  on  the  same  basis. 

IV.  This  field  has  been  greatly  neglected. 

I have  before  intimated  that  the  eye  of  faith  has  but  just 
now  opened  upon  it,  as  au  arena  of  Christian  effort  and  en- 
terprise. However  strange  this  fact  may  appear,  at  its  first  dis- 
covery or  announcement,  it  may  be  easily  accounted  for. 
Different  motives  have  had  their  influence  upon  minds  of 
different  structures,  and  of  various  habits  of  thought  and  action. 

Many  Protestants — men  of  evangelical  sentiments,  and  some, 
no  doubt,  of  real  piety — look  upon  the  Roman  Catholic  com- 
munion as  in  quite  a favorable  condition,  as  to  spiritual  state 
and  prospects,  just  as  we  now  find  them.  They  are  in  deep 
error,  it  is  true,  but  it  may  not  be  radical  and  fatal.  Consid- 
ering their  ignorance,  and  especially,  their  want  of  religious 
light,  they  may  be  as  likely  to  find  their  way  to  heaven  as  other 
classes  of  religionists.  And  then  they  are  sincere,  and  appar- 
ently devout,  and  quite  sure  that  theirs  is  the  only  true  church 
of  God.  Their  condition  is  an  apology  for  their  sins;  and 
while  their  teachers  and  lessons  are  all  wrong,  the  great  mass  of 
the  people  may  be  quite  correct  and  safe. 

I am  truly  sorry  to  attribute  such  a train  of  reasoning,  or 
rather  gratuitous  assumption  of  doubtful  points,  to  any  Protest- 
ants in  an  enlightened  age  and  country,  but  we  meet  with  these 
things  almost  every  day  ; and  to  expose  their  fallacy  is  simply 


12 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


an  ordinary  Christian  duty.  Too  many  among  us  have  studied 
neither  the  genius  nor  the  practical  working  of  Romanism. 
One  memorable  prayer  uttered  by  Jesus  Christ  would  scatter 
these  vain  speculations  to  the  winds.  “ Sanctify  them  through 
thy  truth  ; thy  word  is  truth.” 

Others  make  a different  mistake,  but  the  result  is  practically 
the  same.  Under  its  influence  the  energies  of  Christian  benevo- 
lence are  paralyzed.  Papal  countries  and  the  Papal  community 
are  not  to  be  converted.  They  are  given  up  to  “ strong  delusion 
to  believe  a lie.”  Prophecy  is  against  us.  They  are  excluded 
by  the  revealed  purpose  of  God  from  the  ordinary  efforts  of  Christ- 
ian love  for  their  recovery ; and  submission  to  the  divine  will 
should  enforce  upon  us  silence  and  inaction.  As  this  apology 
for  the  neglect  of  Roman  Catholics  in  the  missionary  enterprises 
of  our  day,  and  of  times  past,  professes  to  be  based  upon  the 
Scriptures,  it  deserves  a more  critical  examination. 

The  position  to  which  I refer  is  this.  The  Roman  Catholics 
constitute  a corrupt  and  repudiated  church — not  “ the  bride,  the 
Lamb’s  wife,”  but  “ the  mother  of  harlots  and  abomina- 
tions and  she  is  to  be  destroyed,  and  not  converted.  This 
is  no  doubt  true,  so  far  as  the  system  and  its  outward  adminis- 
trations are  concerned.  The  anti-Christian  organization  malting 
up  the  body  and  soul  of  the  Papal  church,  will  be  swept  away — 
it  will  be  utterly  exterminated,  “root  and  branch.”  Without 
such  an  event  our  world  could  never  hail  the  millennial  morning. 
But  the  people — the  one  hundred  and  seventy  millions — are  not 
all  doomed.  The  fabric  will  crumble  and  perish.  It  is  con- 
structed of  bad  materials — “ wood,  hay,  stubble.”  It  will  disap- 
pear amid  coming  revolutions.  There  is  a heaven-indited  song 
— the  tongue  of  prophecy  has  long  since  recited  it  from  the 
throne — “Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen.”  And  the 
funeral  wail  shall  be  taken  up  by  the  kings  of  the  earth  “ who 
have  been  corrupted  by  her.”  “Alas!  alas!  that  great  city 
Babylon,  that  mighty  city  ! for  in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment 
come.”  A converted  Pope  would  be  something  more  than  an 
ordinary  miracle.  A pious  and  godly  cardinal  would  be  an 
angel  among  bad  spirits  in  a wicked  place. 

The  purpose  of  God  in  relation  to  the  Papal  power,  at  least 
as  to  the  grand  outlines,  is  predicted  in  the  Scriptures.  The 
“ Man  of  Sin  shall  be  revealed,  the  son  of  perdition;”  he  that 
“ opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God;” 
he  that,  “as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  him- 
self that  he  is  God,”  shall  “be  taken  out  of  the  way  ;”•  “ whom 
the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall 
destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming.”  But  before  this  final 
catastrophe,  involving  the  annihilation  of  this  strange  and  mys- 
terious power,  falsely  called  Christian,  but  truly  anti-Christian 
or  pagan,  shall  arrive,  multitudes  of  her  oppressed  and  deluded 
subjects  shall  feel  the  cheering  influence  of  a pure  Gospel,  and 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


13 


experience  its  subduing  and  transforming  erace,  to  an  extent 
which  shall  be  measured  only  by  the  abounding  mercy  of  God. 
This  theory  of  interpretation  respecting  the  fall  of  Babylon  and 
the  rescue  of  a portion  of  her  subjects,  is  strongly  corroborated 
by  the  very  prophecy  which  tells  us  of  this  coming  judgment. 
Mercy  is  mingled  in  the  bitter  cup. 

The  presentation  of  the  apocalyptic  vision  is  truly  graphic. 
John  saw  an  “angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  great  pow- 
er ; and  the  earth  was  lightened  by  his  glory.”  This  angel 
was  Christ.  “ And  he  cried  mightily  with  a strong  voice,  saying, 
Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habita- 
tion of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a cage  of 
every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.”  And  to  this  announcement  he 
adds  : ‘‘And  I heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come 
out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and 
that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.”  This  angel’s  voice  has 
been  heard,  and  will  continue  to  be  heard,  and  the  responses 
shall  become  more  and  more  joyous,  till  the  full  harvest  from 
this  field  shall  be  gathered  in. 

I have  said  that  the  Homan  Catholics  have  been  greatly 
neglected.  This  missionary  field  has  but  just  begun  to  attract 
the  eye  of  the  church.  While  the  pagan  nations  have  found  a 
place  in  almost  every  prayer,  and  the  home  field  has  fixed  the 
eye  hardly  less  intensely  of  the  patriot  than  of  the  Christian, 
the  one  hundred  and  seventy  millions  of  Borne  have  hardly 
touched  a chord  of  sympathy  in  the  heart  of  the  church.  But 
the  star  of  hope  has  arisen  on  a new  portion  of  our  dark  world. 
A brighter  day  has  actually  dawned.  There  are  men  whose 
hearts  God  has  touched  ; and  with  small  means,  but  with  deter- 
mined purpose,  they  intend,  God  assisting,  to  do  the  people 
good.  They  have  looked  over  all  lands,  and  they  have  dropped 
a tear  of  commiseration  on  each ; and  can  now"  exclaim  with 
Paul : “ We  are  debtors  both  to  the  Greeks  and  to  the  barba- 
rians ; both  to  the  wise  and  to  the  unwise.  So  as  much  as  in 
us  is,  we  are  ready  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  you  that  are  at  Romo 
also.”  It  may  be  a field  sometimes  difficult  of  access,  and 
hard  of  culture  when  reached,  and  requiring  much  patience  and 
self-denial  in  maturing  a harvest ; but  the  time  has  come  to 
break  up  the  fallow  ground,  and  put  in  the  seed-corn.  We 
need  not  stop  to  “observe  the  wind”  or  “regard  the  clouds.” 
Such  a course  might  forestall  the  wished-for  event.  We  should 
never  “ reap  ” under  such  a policy. 

There  are  great  crises  in  the  doings  of  God,  and  in  his  moral 
government,  which  may  be  traced  through  the  whole  history  of 
redemption.  Some  great  thought  fills  the  heart  of  the  church, 
and,  under  its  inspiration,  the  cause  of  God  goes  forth  in  some 
new  direction,  or  with  accelerated  progress,  and  gains  an  influ- 
ence which  it  never  loses.  I could  give  examples  in  extenso,  if 
ime  would  permit.  Take  a few  only.  When  John  the  Bap- 


u 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


tizer  came  and  preached  repentance,  a deep  impression  was 
made  upon  the  national  mind.  The  absorbing  thought  was, 
Christ  among  you  ! John  was  the  herald-star  of  the  opening 
day.  God  was  in  the  great  thought  he  kept  before  the  mind ; 
anil  wonders  were  accomplished ; and  at  the  close  of  a long  day 
of  darkness — since  the  prophets  fell  asleep — the  last  sun  of  the 
old  dispensation  went  down  in  glory  on  the  world.  God  had 
revived  his  work. 

The  day  of  Pentecost  opened  a fresh  page  in  redemption. 
The  apostles  here  learned  a new  lesson — that,  under  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Spirit,  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  could  bring 
men,  at  once,  and  in  large  numbers,  and  in  rapid  succession,  into 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Under  this  impression,  they  set  about  the 
work  of  converting  the  world  in  good  earnest.  But  their  world 
was  Judea,  and  the  outposts  of  the  Hebrew  tribes,  scattered 
through  the  heathen  nations.  It  required  the  splendid  vision  of 
Joppa  to  convince  Peter  that  it  was  lawful  to  offer  salvation  to  any 
one  but  a Jew.  And  yet  Peter  had  in  his  hand  a commission 
to  “ preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  The  other  apostles 
at  length,  and  rather  reluctantly,  adopted  the  convictions  of 
Peter.  Thus  it  is,  that  practical  truth  is  unfolded  only  page  by 
page. 

A half-century  since,  evangelical  Christendom  was  profoundly 
0 asleep  over  the  dark  nations  of  paganism.  Ecclesiastics  were 
urging  their  exclusive  claims  to  the  true  apostolic  succession ; 
but  the  apostolic  commission  was  a dead  letter  in  the  hand  and 
the  heart  of  the  church.  A few  little  incidents — trifling  in  them- 
selves— turned  the  thoughts  and  prayers  of  good  men  in  a 
new  direction,  till  now  there  is  no  enterprise  before  the  church 
or  the  world  which  is  more  sublime  in  purpose,  or  more  magni- 
ficent in  execution,  than  the  design  of  converting  six  hundred 
and  seventy-six  millions  of  pagans  to  Christ.  Or  the  home 
missionary  scheme.  I saw  the  infant  in  its  cradle — its  bright 
eyes  wide  open  on  the  benignant  heavens  ; and  now  who  does 
not  admire  the  greatness  of  this  youthful  giant  ? These  were 
all  new  measures,  in  their  day,  but  God  was  in  them. 

And  here  I must  speak  of  a younger-boni  of  providence  in 
the  brotherhood  of  Christian  action.  It  is  only  within  a few 
years  that  distinct  and  systematic  efforts  have  been  adopted  for 
instructing  and  saving  Roman  Catholics  ; and  even  then  faintly 
and  feebly.  This  had  become  an  almost  exploded  thought  since 
the  days  of  the  reformation.  It  had  nearly  died  out  in  the 
heart  of  the  church.  We  have  great  confidence  that  God  is  in 
this  recent  movement,  and  while  we  do  not  expect  that  our 
cause  will  be  the  favorite  Joseph  in  the  brotherhood  of  well- 
doing, yet  it  is  our  “ little  Benjamin,”  and  we  should  rejoice  to 
see  “Benjamin’s  mess”  imparted  to  it  from  the  gratuities 
of  the  church  of  God. 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


15 


V.  The  relations  of  this  subject  to  the  world’s  conversion. 

In  adopting  a theory  for  the  interpretation  of  the  word  or 
providences  of  God,  we  should  not  be  satisfied — as  system- 
makers  often  are — with  seeing  our  way  into  it,  but  we  should 
be  able  to  see  our  way  out  of  it.  A successful  retreat  is  next 
to  a victory. 

What  then  is  to  become  of  Papal  lands,  and  their  people 
intrenched  iu  every  land  ? Certain  it  is  that  the  reign  of 
Christ — 

“Foretold  by  prophets,  and  by  poets  sung  ” — 

cannot  become  triumphant  among  men,  without  a signal  change 
iu  the  ecclesiastical  dynasty  of  which  Romo  is  the  center. 
Leave  out  Papal  countries  and  their  adherents  throughout  all 
the  world,  and  Christ  is  not  the  universal  king.  The  illimitable 
scepter  and  the  crown  of  all  nations  are  not  his.  His  conquest 
is  not  complete,  his  coronal  does  not  shine  with  all  its  promised 
stars.  Papal  nations,  among  others,  must  be  considered  as  in- 
cluded in  the  promises  made  to  Christ.  True  it  is,  that  our 
world  can  never  he  a converted  world,  while  the  one  hundred  and 
seventy  millions  of  Papists  are  excluded  from  the  fold  of  God. 
Is  there  to  be  no  millenial  jubilee  in  France,  and  Belgium,  and 
Austria  ? Is  no  ray  of  heavenly  light  to  beam  on  Papal  Swit- 
zerland, and  Papal  Germany,  aud  the  once  far-famed,  but  now 
degenerate  Italian  States  ? Is  there  no  hope  for  Mexico,  and 
Cuba,  and  the  Central  aud  South  American  empires  ? Shall 
the  Gospel  be  pronounced  a failure,  in  respect  to  all  these,  ac- 
cording to  the  second  advent  theory,  and  shall  they  be  utterly 
exterminated  ? This  is  a cheap  and  easy  method  of  converting 
men,  aud  well  adapted  to  the  taste  of  faithless  and  lazy  Christ- 
ians. Or  shall  the}7  be  left  to  reform  and  Christianize  them- 
selves ? Infallibility  cannot  change  for  the  better. 

It  is  true  that  Rome  has  her  changes,  but  they  are  always 
from  bad  to  worse.  The  new  dogma  of  the  immaculate  con- 
ception, to  an  intelligent  mind,  would  appear  too  absurd  to  com- 
mand the  assent  even  of  the  most  ignorant  and  credulous  of  the 
Papal  communion.  But  there  is  a policy,  at  once  far-sighted 
and  subtle,  which  underlies  this  movement,  that  is  well  under- 
stood by  the  Pope  and  other  dignitaries  of  that  church.  It  is 
designed,  not  to  conciliate  Protestants,  but  to  fortify  themselves 
against  external  encroachments — to  make  the  great  gulf  between 
them  and  Bible  Christians  broader  and  deeper  than  heretofore — 
to  establish  a system  of  idolatry,  in  the  form  of  woman-worship, 
which  shall  render  their  subjects  unapproachable,  if  may  be,  by 
evangelical  truth.  Aud  in  reaching  forward  to  this  end,  they 
have  sanctioned  their  new-born  dogma  without  a due  regard  to 
one  of  their  old  festivals — I mean  the  purification  of  the  blessed 
Virgin — for  how  can  that  be  purified  which  was  “ immaculate” 
from  the  beginning  ? But  consistency  is  a jewel  not  much  cov- 


16 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES, 


eted  or  sought  after  by  Romish  ecclesiastics — whether  Pope  or 
common  priest. 

But  my  business  now  is  with  the  relations  of  Roman  Catholics 
— converted  and  unconverted — with  the  final  triumphs  of  the 
Gospel  among  men.  Or  the  relations  of  this  cause  with  other 
aggressive  movements  upon  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  These 
relations  have  not  been  duly  appi-eciated.  I will  not  exalt  this 
agency  above  all  others,  or  any  other  ; but  merely  say,  that  it 
seems  to  me  to  be  a necessary  coadjutor  in  giving  the  Gospel 
and  its  blessed  institutions  to  the  world.  Look  into  the  home 
field,  and  what  antagonist  stands  more  directly  in  the  way  of 
the  devoted  missionary  than  an  intermeddling  Romish  priest  ? 
And  you  may  often  repeat  the  description  by  superadding  two 
epithets  more — profane  and  intemperate ! “ We  speak  that  we 
do  know,  and  testify  that  we  have  seen.”  The  whole  influence 
of  such  men  is  deleterious.  Religion  and  morals  wither  in  their 
grasp.  The  infidel  is  far  lessinjurious  to  society.  He  is  always 
the  friend  of  popular  education  ; the  Romish  priest  never  ! The 
Mormon  elder  is  not  more  to  be  dreaded.  They  both  hate  the 
volume  of  divine  love  which  God  has  given  us,  with  an  intensity 
equally  malignant.  On  the  subject  of  marriage  these  ecclesias- 
tics hold  antagonist  theories  ; but  as  in  other  cases,  so  it  hap- 
pens in  this — the  extremes  often  meet.  I mean  in  practice.  If 
we  would  arm  the  home  missionary  with  the  largest  power  of 
doing  good,  we  must  attend  to  the  Romish  population  on  his  field 
of  labor. 

Trace  the  influence  of  this  system,  as  it  retards  the  progress 
of  every  Christian  effort  to  do  good  in  your  own  city.  How  is 
Christ  to  be  welcomed  to  a triumphant  throne  here,  and  come 
and  reign  over  these  accumulating  thousands  here,  unless  some- 
thing is  done  for  Roman  Catholics  ? As  a specimen  of  many 
things  which  might  be  said,  look  at  Papal  influence  on  three 
great  public  interests  only — education,  temperance,  and  the  Sab- 
bath. Who  has  not  witnessed  the  bitter  hatred  of  the  Romish 
priesthood  against  our  public  schools  ? If  there  is  anything  else 
that  excites  a more  utter  loathing  in  the  bosom  of  a priest,  it  is 
the  Bible.  Of  the  forty-one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  children  between  fiVe  and  fifteen — more  than  one-third  of 
the  whole  number  in  this  city — who  can  neither  read  nor  write, 
a large  proportion  are  the  children  of  Roman  Catholics.  And 
the  priesthood  love  to  have  it  so.  It  is  stated  on  the  highest 
official  authority,  that  of  the  nearly  eight  thousand  places  where 
intoxicating  liquors  are  sold  in  this  city,  at  least  two-thirds — five 
thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty-six — carry  on  the  traffic  on 
the  Sabbath  ; and  these  are  almost  invariably  kept  by  aliens  or 
naturalized  citizens ; and,  I may  add,  they  are  generally  the 
liege  subjects  of  his  holiness. 

And  the  foreign  missionary  is  not  less  annoyed,  nor  less  im- 
peded in  his  work,  by  the  intervention  of  this  semi-heathen 


AS  FURNISHING  A MISSIONARY  FIELD. 


17 


power.  It  is  an  evil  angel  that  is  sure  to  cross  his  path,  on 
continent  or  island,  wherever  the  herald  of  truth  begins  to  in- 
struct the  benighted  in  the  way  of  life.  And  the  Papal  emis- 
sary is  sure  to  sympathize  with  idolaters,  or  any  other  corrupt 
form  of  religion,  in  opposing  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  the 
blood  and  intercession  of  Christ  alone.  Among  the  more  degrad- 
ed of  pagans,  conversion  is  a mere  matter  of  outward  form, 
without  one  heaven-born  thought  in  it.  Baptism  is  regeneration. 
In  India,  and  especially  among  the  lower  castes,  the  old,  dingy, 
ugly  idol  is  displaced  by  the  gilded  crucifix,  and  the  latter 
occupies  the  same  place  the  former  once  did ; and  in  South 
America,  the  less  than  half-civilized  Indians  join  with  wild 
fanatical  zeal  in  public  processions  on  festal  days ; and  this 
is  all  they  know  of  the  Gospel. 

The  Papacy  is  a persecuting  power  wherever  it  has  an  un- 
restrained opportunity.  Foreign  missions  have  often  experienced 
this  bitter  characteristic.  It  is  only  just  now  that  the  mission 
of  the  English  Baptists  at  Fernando  Po  has  been  broken  up  by 
the  cringing  power  of  Spain,  ever  ready  to  do  the  bidding  of  his 
holiness  and  the  church.  And  the  mission  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  at  Corisco  is  threatened  with  a like  fate.  In  this  same 
Catholic  Spain,  Protestants  are  not  permitted  to  bury  their  dead 
except  below  tide-waters,  that  they  may  be  devoured  by  dogs  or 
washed  away  by  the  surges  of  the  ocean.  “Uttf.r  extermina- 
tion” is  Rome’s  euphonious  watchword.  The  British  Govern- 
ment is  the  only  power  which  has  had  the  manliness  to  secure 
for  their  subjects  a more  befitting  resting-place,  when  the 
turmoil  of  life  is  past.  They  have  no  President  to  elect  once 
in  four  years. 

One  thought  on  the  power  of  converted  Romanists  to  aid  in  the 
great  work  of  subjecting  the  world  to  the  reign  of  God  among 
men.  They  form  an  efficient  corps  of  missionaries,  whose 
activities  shall  hereafter  join  with  others  in  hastening  the  jubilee 
of  an  emancipated  earth.  There  is  a spirit  in  Papal  lands,  which, 
if  subjected  to  Christ,  will  henceforth  achieve  wonders  for  lost 
humanity.  In  France  the  old  Huguenot  is  not  dead.  His  spirit 
still  lives  there  in  modem  Protestants.  The  old  Roman,  too, 
survives  in  Italy,  and  walks  the  streets  of  the  Eternal  City,  the 
chains  of  political  tyrants,  and  the  racks  and  dungeons  of  the 
Inquisition,  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  And  in  the  Green 
Isle  of  the  ocean  there  is  a tongue  of  eloquence,  which,  “like 
the  pen  of  a ready  writer,”  shall  record  almost  modem  miracles 
achieved  for  God  and  his  Church.  Converted  ecclesiastics  may 
not  always  fulfill  our  expectations ; but  when  thoroughly  and 
vitally  protestantized,  they  make  noble  and  efficient  co-laborers. 
It  is  difficult,  it  is  true,  to  eliminate  the  Jesuit  from  the  anomalous 
and  artificial  structure  which  wears  that  name,  but  when  this  is 
done,  and  a heaven-created  humanity  alone  is  left,  with  the  grace 
of  God  superadded,  the  renewed  Jesuit  may  accomplish  for  the 


18 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  COUNTRIES,  ETC. 


Gospel  what  the  old  Jesuit  did  for  Romanism  when  he  explored 
our  long  chain  of  northern  and  western  lakes,  and  our  magnificent 
western  and  south-western  rivers.  Brethren,  if  you  would  sus- 
tain the  cause  of  missions  in  the  largest  sense,  and  in  the  most 
efficient  manner,  and  aid  in  the  coming  and  the  earthly  corona- 
tion of  the  Son  of  God,  then  remember  “ The  American  and 
Foreign  Christian  Union.” 

But  I must  close.  When  I look  upon  our  world,  in  the  process 
of  redemption,  I see  a blessed  trinity  of  agents,  aiming  at  the 
same  great  end.  The  foreign  misionary  has  fixed  his  eye  upon  the 
pagans,  and  with  his  heart  on  heaven  he  has  gone  about  his  work. 
Another  laborer  is  cultivating  the  home  vineyard  in  the  same 
spirit.  “ And  last,  not  least,”  there  is  another  missionary,  whom, 
like  Paul,  “as  much  as  in  him  is,”  you  find  now  “ ready  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  them  that  are  at  Rome  also.” 

“ Come,  then,  and  added  to  thy  many  crowns, 

Receive  yet  one,  the  crown  of  all  the  earth, 

Thou  who  alone  art  worthy.” 

Men  of  God,  brethren  in  the  ministry,  mark  the  emphatic 
thought — “the  crown  of  all  the  earth.”  Brethren  and  sisters 
in  Christ  Jesus,  never  forget  that  the  diadem  which  is  to  adorn 
the  Savior’s  brow  is  “ the  crown  of  all  the  earth.”  Oh ! may 
he  come  and  wear  it  amid  the  songs  of  angels  and  the  shouts  and 
hallelujahs  of  a joyous  and  happy  world ! “ Amen.  Even  so 

come,  Lord  Jesus,” 


ADDENDA 


The  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union  most  heart- 
ily commends  the  statements  and  arguments  of  the  sermon  of 
Dr.  Beman  to  all  the  friends  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Like 
him  we  can  say,  as  we  have  frequently  said,  that  the  field  of 
missionary  effort  adopted  by  our  Society  is  not  only  a most 
important  one,  but  a field  hitherto  greatly  neglected.  Too 
many  of  the  friends  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  have  regarded 
the  work  of  converting  and  saving  Romanists  as  hopeless. 
We  are  therefore  induced  to  add  a few  facts  in  reference  to 
our  work  and  the  success  which  has  crowned  the  labors  of 
our  missionaries,  in  the  fullest  confidence  that  if  we  can 
show  that  we  are  doing  a great  and  good  work,  we  shall 
receive  not  only  the  sympathy  but  the  co-operation  of  all 
those  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Our  work  is  two- 
fold, embracing  a Home  as  well  as  a Foreign  Field.  The 
Home  Field  comprises  the  United  States  and  its  Territories, 
having  a Papal  population  of  at  least  three  millions,  com- 
prising Mexicans,  Indians,  Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Italians, 
Frenchmen,  Germans,  Irishmen,  Africans,  and  some  others, 
scattered  throughout  the  nation,  apparently  having  no  con- 
nection or  bond  of  sympathy  with  each  other,  yet  all  sub- 
ject to  the  control  of  the  great  central  power  at  Rome. 

The  chief  aim  of  the  Board  has  been,  with  this  popula- 
tion, to  enlighten  and  secure  the  conversion  of  its  individuals 
to  Christ.  They  have  sought  this  by  missions,  schools, 
personal  conversations,  distribution  of  Bibles,  Testaments, 
tracts,  and  other  scriptural  means. 

The  Missionaries  employed  are  of  native  and  foreign 
birth,  of  seven  different  nationalities,  and  of  nine  religious 
denominations,  and  sixty-three  in  number,  in  the  Home  Field. 

The  Board  have  commenced  to  labor  within  the  year  at 
eight  new  stations,  two  of  which  are  amoDg  the  Irish,  four 
the  Germans,  one  the  French,  and  one  the  Italians. 

The  number  of  different  children  collected  and  taught 
longer  or  shorter  times  in  the  schools,  week-day,  Sunday, 
and  Industrial,  as  reported  is  4,186,  an  advance  of  1,240  on 
the  number  mentioned  in  the  report  of  last  year,  besides 
many  who  have  been  sent  into  denominational  schools,  and 
of  which  po  exact  returns  have  been  made.  These,  added 


20 


ADDENDA. 


to  former  numbers  reported,  •null  make  an  aggregate  of  at 
least  14,250  children  and  youth  which  have  been  brought 
under  evangelical  training  and  influences  by  the  American 
and  Foreign  Christian  Union  in  the  brief  term  of  a few 
years. 

The  number  of  teachers,  male  and  female,  reported  as 
connected  with  the  various  schools  is  375 — an  advance  of 
upwards  of  70  upon  the  number  reported  before,  and  who, 
with  the  missionaries  and  laborers  of  every  name,  compose 
a force  of  438  persons. 

The  number  of  sermons,  addresses,  and  personal  visits 
to  and  with  Romanists,  in  reference  to  their  religious 
interests,  so  far  as  reported,  (all  have  not  been  regis- 
tered and  reported,)  is  38,933.  And  the  number  of  Ro- 
manists who  have  composed  the  various  auditories,  or  been 
addressed,  are  computed  to  be  not  far  from  fifty  thousand. 

The  number  of  Papists  intellectually  convinced  of  the 
errors  of  Romanism,  and  its  insufficiency  as  a system  of  religion, 
is  large.  The  number  who  have  ventured  to  confer  with  the 
Missionaries,  and  thus  to  avow  their  convictions,  is  257 ; while 
207  others,  like  Nicodemus,  fearing  the  power  of  the  priests, 
have  come  secretly  to  inquire  of  them  the  way  of  salvation ; 
and  154  others  give  good  evidence  of  conversion  to  Christ. 

More  than  600  individuals,  therefore,  by  means  of  the 
labors  performed  during  the  year  have  been  much  benefited, 
and  may  be  said  to  be  nigh  to  the  kingdom,  if  all  arc  not 
wholly  within  its  sacred  enclosures. 

There  have  been  two  interesting  congregations  collected 
within  the  year  in  Michigan,  which  now  enjoy  the  labors  of 
a Missionary  of  the  Board — one  at  Royal  Lock,  and  the  other 
at  Mount  Clemens. 

Two  congregations,  gathered  under  the  influences  of  the 
Board  among  the  Germans — one  in  the  city  of  New-York 
and  the  other  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  having  a joint 
membership  of  279  individuals  in  communion,  have  within 
the  year  (one  in  July  and  the  other  in  September  last)  as- 
sumed the  support  of  their  pastors  respectively,  and  relieved 
the  Board  of  their  responsibility  in  that  regard. 

The  total  number  of  converts  to  Christ  from  the  ranks 
of  the  Papists  thus  far  reported  to  the  office  is  1,404.  There 
are  others  besides,  whose  numbers  have  not  been  reported. 

The  amount  of  reading-matter  distributed  during  the 
year  is  equivalent  to  about  six  and  a half  millions  of  octavo 
pages. 


ADDENDA. 


21 


H.  FOREIGN  FIELD. 

Here  the  Board  operates  principally  through  local  Home 
Missionary  Societies,  believing  the  work  can  be  done  more 
effectually  by  missionaries  who  arc  natives  of  the  country, 
than  by  men  who  arc  sent  from,  this  country,  and  who  are 
compelled  to  speak  and  preach  in  a foreign  language. 

In  the  Western  Hemisphere,  the  missions  of  the  Board 
are  in  Canada,  Hayti,  Mexico,  and  Chili,  in  South  America. 

The  Canadian  Society  at  Montreal,  which  the  Board  now 
aids,  has  25  Missionaries,  several  important  schools,  and  is 
gradually  extending  evangelical  influences  over  the  Canadian 
Papal  mind. 

Chili. — Thirteen  years  since,  we  sent  amissionary  (Kev. 
Mr.  Trumbull)  to  Valparaiso,  South  America,  and  now  he  has 
a self-sustaining  church,  and  he  and  his  people  are  prepared 
to  do  good  service  there. 

Hayti. — Six  years  ago  we  sent  a missionary  to  Hayti ; 
now  he  has  six  stations  and  six  native  helpers,  and  reports 
between  one  and  two  hundred  converts. 

Mexico  is  receiving  benefit  through  the  Female  Sem- 
inary at  Brownsville,  opposite  Matamoras,  seventy-three 
Mexican  girls  having  already  been  educated  in  that  Institu- 
tion, with  a view  to  be  returned  to  their  homes  and  to  become 
teachers,  or  in  some  way  useful  to  the  cause  of  pure  Christ- 
ianity in  their  respective  spheres.  Many  Bibles,  Testaments 
and  tracts,  through  its  agency,  have  also  gone  into  that 
distracted  land  within  three  years  past. 

EASTERN  HEMISPHERE. 

In  Ireland,  some  of  the  darkest  places  of  Popery  have 
been  entered,  and  converted  into  the  abodes  of  light,  and 
joy,  and  salvation.  Among  other  things,  one  of  our  mis- 
sionaries reported  last  year  the  conversion  of  twenty,  another 
of  fifty  souls  to  Christ,  while  others  reported  other  num- 
bers, and  various  matters  of  encouragement. 

The  Bishop  of  Tuam  says  : — “ In  the  district  of  West 

Galway  alone  twenty  congregations  have  been  gathered,  where 

before  were  only  two  churches,  in  which  fewer  persons  were 

accustomed  to  assemble  than  now  form  the  smallest  of  these 

more  recent  congregations  ; and  twenty-three  substantial 

school-houses  have  been  built.”  It  is  computed  that  since 

the  work  of  evangelization  commenced  in  Ireland,  not  less 

than  one  hundred  thousand  souls  have  renounced  Popery  and 

embraced  the  Protestant  religion. 

© 


52 


ADDENDA. 


Belgium. — Twenty-four  years  ago  there  was  not  in  Bel- 
gium a single  Protestant  minister,  now  there  are  at  least 
fifteen  thousund  Protestants,  and  eighteen  congregations,  com- 
posed exclusively  of  converts  from  Romanism.  And  yet 
these  results,  so  glorious,  have  all  grown  out  of  the  efforts  made 
by  our  Society.  The  first  Protestant  pastor  there  said  to  one 
of  our  Secretaries,  that  “ had  it  not  been  for  the  aid  and 
encouragement  of  your  Society,  the  enterprise,  to  all  human 
appearance,  would  have  been  a failure.” 

France. — In  France,  too,  according  to  the  means  em- 
ployed, the  work  of  evangelization  is  making  most  encourag- 
ing progress.  In  promoting  it,  our  Society  operates  through 
the  Central  and  Evangelical  Societies  at  Paris  and  Lyons. 
The  first  of  these  Societies  last  year  helped  to  sustain  the 
Gospel  at  ninety  different  places.  The  second,  though  with 
fewer  missionaries  and  more  limited  means,  has  distinguished 
itself  in  defending  the  cause  of  religious  freedom,  as  well  as 
in  missionary  labors.  Of  their  work  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pres- 
sensesays:  “It  is  prosperous  in  all  our  fields,”  and  “on 
every  Sunday  the  word  of  God  is  listened  to  by  numerous 
audiences,  amidst  populations  that  but  for  our  agency  would 
never  have  heard  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  proclaimed.” 
And  again,  “ The  conviction  is  strengthening  among  the 
people,  that  the  religion  taught  and  practiced  by  the  Romish 
clergy  is  not  the  religion  of  the  Gospel.”  Said  Dr.  Monod  : 
“ Laying  aside  the  word  Protestant,  and  talking  about  evan- 
gelical religion,  we  can  reach  the  people  with  perfect  ease.” 
This  Society,  it  should  be  remembered,  was  a few  years  ago 
rescued  from  extinction  by  our  Board,  and  quickened  into 
life.  Who  can  estimate  the  value  of  this  ? 

Lyons. — The  Committee  at  Lyons  sustain  seventeen  minis- 
ters, evangelists,  and  teachers.  The  church  comprises  up- 
wards of  six  hundred  members  and  twenty-five  hundred  hearers, 
in  different  places  of  worship,  and  they  are  constantly  re- 
ceiving accessions  to  their  adherents.  These,  a little  while 
ago,  were  all  in  the  darkness  of  Roman  Catholicism,  “ with- 
out God  in  the  world.” 

Geneva. — The  Evangelical  Society  at  Geneva,  in  Switzerland, 
sustains  twenty-five  stations,  chiefly  in  France  and  in  the 
French  territory  of  Algeria.  A number  of  its  laborers  are 
sustained  by  remittances  from  our  treasury,  and  our  Geneva 
friends  say,  “ The  work  grows  upon  their  hands,  whether 
they  would  have  it  or  not.” 


ADDENDA. 


23 


Piedmont. — The  Waldensian  Table , through  which  we 
operate  in  Piedmont,  report  encouraging  progress  in  various 
things,  and  the  conversion,  last  year,  of  more  than  twelve 
hundred  persons  from  the  errors  of  Pome  to  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel. 

The  chapel  at  Rome  has  been  maintained  as  usual,  and 
with  useful  results  ; and  the  American  Chapel  at  Paris,  the 
great  work  of  the  Board  in  the  Foreign  Field  for  the  last 
two  years,  was  completed  and  dedicated  on  the  2d  of  May 
last,  and  is  an  instrumentality  ot*  great  good  to  the  cause  of 
evangelical  and  pure  Christianity. 

The  Board  have,  within  the  year,  extended  aid  to  an 
important  station  at  Poitou,  in  France,  which  previously 
they  had  not  aided;  and  they  have  also  commenced  a service 
in  Constantinople,  among  the  more  than  40,000  Romanists 
in  that  vicinity,  which  is  a new  and  hopeful  enterprise. 

The  number  of  pastors,  evangelists,  Bible-readers,  teach- 
ers, colporteurs,  and  other  laborers  connected  with  “ Mission- 
ary Societies  ” or  “ Committees  of  Evangelization  ” on  the 
Foreign  Field  with  which  the  Board  co-operates,  (by  granting 
subsidies  designed  to  pay  some  part  of  their  support,  pub- 
lishing and  distributing  information,  or  otherwise  promoting 
the  cause,)  together  with  those  laborers  in  different  parts  of 
the  same  field  who  hold  a more  direct  connection  with  the 
Board,  is  a little  more  than  two  hundred. 

Compared  with  the  state  of  things  in  regard  to  religion 
thirty  years  ago  in  most  of  the  countries  where  these  mission- 
aries are  now  stationed  and  zealously  at  work, — where  then 
there  was  scarcely  an  evangelical  preacher  or  any  to  testify 
openly  against  the  corruptions  of  Christianity  and  seek  to 
bring  men  back  to  a pure  Gospel, — the  presence  of  such  a 
band  of  laborers  providentially  raised  up,  and  placed  as  they 
are,  and  given  such  varied  and  precious  fruits  as  the  reward 
of  their  toil,  are  in  the  highest  degree  gratifying. 

Why,  then,  abandon  these  people,  or  omit  to  labor  and 
pray  especially  for  tBfeir  conversion  and  salvation  ? Are 
not  their  souls  as  precious  as  the  souls  of  others  ? Without 
doubt  they  are.  Are  their  numbers  and  influence  of  no  account  in 
our  nation  ? Far,  far,  very  far  from  it  ! There  is  nothing 
in  the  land  that  demands  and  receives  the  attention  and  char- 
ities of  the  Christian  and  patriot,  that  comprises  interests 
more  momentous  than  are  involved  in  the  matter  of  Roman 
Catholic  evangelization.  We  would  not  unduly  magnify  this 


24 


ADDENDA. 


branch  of  Christian  effort,  but  this  is  our  deliberate  judg- 
ment. Enlighten  the  Roman  Catholic  population — bring 
the  Gospel  in  its  purity  and  power  to  bear  upon  it — bring 
its  members  to  Christ — and  a greater  work  is  not  left  to  be 
done  for  our  land.  Evangelize  tiie  Papal  parts  of  the 
EARTn,  and  the  most  formidable  obstacle  to  the  universal  tri- 
umph of  the  Oospel  is  taken  out  of  the  way , and  a most  effective 
agency  secured  to  help  on  the  world's  redemption. 


Reader,  let  us  close  this  little  tract  with  the  requests  appended  to 
our  last  Report : — 

1.  That  you  will  read  it  carefully. 

2.  That  you  will  pray  for  the  success  of  our  work. 

3.  That  your  faith  and  works  go  together,  by  sending  a donation 
to  the  Treasury  at  your  earliest  convenience. 


OFFICERS 

OF  TIIE 

^rnerkan  Jforcigix  Cjjrkliait  Slitkit. 

No.  156  Chambers-street. 


(Organized  iu  New-York,  May  10,  1849.) 


President — Rev.  Thomas  De  Witt,  D.  D. 

Secretaries — Rev.  E.  R.  Fairchild,  D.  D.,  mul  Rev.  A.  E.  Campbell,  D.  D. 
Recording  Secretary — John  W.  Cobson,  M.  D 
Treasurer — C.  C.  North.  Esq. 

General  Agent  and  Assistant  Treasurer— Edward  Vernon,  Esq.,  156  Chumbere  st. 

Com  muni  cut  ion  s 

Which  relate  to  Missions  in  the  Homo  or  Foreign  Field  may  be  Rddressert  to  the 
Rev.  E.  R.  Fairchild,  D.  D.  ; and  those  which  relate  to  Agencies  and  the  Financial 
Department  to  the  Rev.  A.  E.  Campbell,  D.  D. 

tHi 

Remittances  for  tl»e  Treasury, 

And  orders  for  books  and  for  the  Magazine,  should  be  sent  to  the  Society’s  Office, 
156  Chambers-street,  addressed  to  Edward  Vernon,  Esq,  General  Agent  and  As- 
sistant Treasurer. 


